Apparatus for and method of heattreating articles



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ATTORNEYS United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD F HEAT- TREATING ARTICLES Boyd C. Miller, Salisbury, N.C.

Application January 9, 1956, Serial No. 558,124

s claims. (ci. 25-142) This invention generally relates to the art o f heattreating" articles, such as are made from ceramic materials, plastics, steel or other metals, and is particularly concerned with an improved apparatus for and method of controlling the temperature, humidity and direction and course of flow of air currents in an elongated enclosure or tunnel-type of kiln. The ware subjected to the present method shall be referred to hereinafter as brick, by way of example. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the improved apparatus and methodV may be used in the processing of other ceramic materials or articles made from any material capable of being heattreated.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for and method of heat-treating brick and other ware on a relatively high production basis as the ware is passed longitudinally through a tunnel-type kiln wherein air is maintained at predetermined temperatures in particular zones of the kiln, but wherein the temperature is varied in the different zones according to the requirements of the process, wherein the air is maintained at a predetermined relative humidity, which lis extremely important in the treatment of brick, and wherein the air is movedtin a sinuous or serpentine path throughout the length of or any given portion of kiln so that all of the brick or other articles moved through the tunnel are uniformly treated and respond to the temperature and humidity conditions of the surrounding atmosphere at a much faster rate than has been attainable heretofore.

It is another object of this invention to provide a'tunnel-type kiln having means for carrying out the above process wherein cars or other conveyor means are moved other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

y which- Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic side elevation of a tunnel-type kiln embodying the means for carrying out the improved heat-treating process, andfparticularly de.

A vised for the treatment of brick and similar ceramic ma- Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the ingressv or feed end of the improved kiln looking Aat the left-hand side of Figure 1; Y Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation ofthe discharge end Y, of the improved kiln looking at the right-hand'side of.

longitudinally of the kiln at predetermined speeds while supporting the ware thereon and opposite side walls of the tunnel are spaced substantially equi-distant from opposite sides of the ware as it moves through the tunnel. The sid-e walls of the kiln are provided with inwardly projecting bafes or columns whose inner surfaces termilnate closely adjacent the path of travel of the ware thereby, the bafes on one side wall being staggered `relative to the baies on the other sidewall with strategically positioned forced air outlets and inlets being provided so the air tends to move generally inthe opposite direction from that in which the ware is` moved, the baffles `causing the air to ow across the tunnel from one side wall to the other in a sinuous or serpentine path toward and through the corresponding air outlet.

It is another object of this invention to provide cir- Y* Figure 1; t

Figures 6 through 6-F are, collectively, an enlarged longitudinal sectional plan view through the improved tunnel kiln taken substantially along line X-X in Figure 1; t

Figures 7 through 7-F are, collectively, an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the improved kiln taken substantially along line Y-Y in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a plan view similar to FigureY 6, but showing a series of cars supporting the ware positioned in the tunnel; y f H Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7, also showing the kiln cars positioned therein and on which the ware is supported;

Figure 10 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through the preheating section of the kiln taken sub# stantially along line 10--10 in Figure 6;

Figure 11 is another-transverse vertical sectional view through the drying section of the kiln taken substantially along line 11-11 in Figure 6 and showing a car sup porting brick thereon positioned within the tunnel;

Figure l2kis an enlarged transverse -vertical sectional view through the kiln, adjacent the discharge end of the drying section thereof, taken substantially along line 12-12 in Figure 6A and showing, in. particular, how the hot air is forced from the slow-cooling section of the kiln into the drying section; Figure 13 is another transverse vertical sectional view t-aken substantially along line 13-1-13 in Figure 6-B, and showing how the air lock chamber, interposed between the drying and preheating sections of the kiln, is con structedy" Figure 14 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 14-14 in Figure 6-B, adjacent the ingress end of the preheating section of the kiln, and showing a kiln car supporting a load of brick positioned therein; v

Figure 15 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View vtaken substantially along line 15--15 in Figure 6-B and showing, in particular, how each of the circulating fans inthe preheating section of the kiln is constructed;

VFigure 16 is an'enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through the furnace section or burning section of the kiln taken substantially along line 16-16 in FigI ure 6-D; Y

Figure 17 is an enlarged plan view of the fast-cooling'. section of the kiln, with parts broken away, taken substantially along line 17-17 in Figure 1, showing how the air is forced from the slow-cooling section into the fastcooling sectionand also showing a portion of the duct for directing heated Yair fromthe slow-cooling section to thev discharge end of the dryingfsection of the kiln; Y

Figure 18 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 18e-18 in Figure 17; 

